John William Lindsay

I use the tools that work. No slave to the old ways or to power tools. I have old tools dating to my great grandfather, a farmer and sometime house joiner in Northern Illinois, older tools that I have purchased, and newer ones. I like to use hand tools wherever I can, partly because, as a chairmaker friend once said to me, "Mistakes happen more slowly with hand tools" and thus are repaired with less agony!

​​Chairmakers tools Starting at 7 o'clock a little Crown plane for finishing the hollowed part of the seat, at 9, a hand adze for hoggin' out the big chunks, at noon, a scorp, for cleaning up after the adze, at 3 o'clock, a scraper for cleaning up after the plane and travisher and at 5 o'clock, a travisher, for smoothing it all out. Not pictured: router plane and carving chisel for the grooves.